Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Immunizations are very important in every new-born baby, therefore are necessary and must be given in each and every child during their growth. Immunizations help the babies before there antibodies are strong enough to fight for themselves. They assist in preventing various diseases such as: tuberculosis, poliomyelitis, diphtheria, hepatitis, yellow fever, measles, and pneumonia, just to mention but a few of them.

The vaccines are given in intervals of the babies grow, that is they are given at birth, after 6 weeks, 10 weeks, 14 weeks, 6 months and at 9 months. All these ages of the babies age the vaccination are either repeated or they are given immunity against a certain disease.

Types of vaccines.

1. Bacillus Guerin - these is the vaccine that protects a child against tuberculosis, it is administered at birth or before two weeks. The vaccination is on the left arm just below the elbow joint and is administered under the skin, forming a blister which later forms a mark to prove immunization.

2. Polio vaccine - this protects against poliomyelitis disease which inhibits the child's growth. It's administered orally in the mouth two drops per dose and there are four doses i.e. at birth, 6 weeks, 10 weeks and at 14 weeks.

3. Diphtheria Pertussis - this vaccine protects against various disease i.e. diphtheria, tetanus and hepatitis A. It's administered on the left upper thigh and is given in three doses i.e. at 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks.

4. Pneumonia vaccine - protects against pneumonia in small children. It's administered on the left thigh a dose of 0.5 millimeters. It's also given in three doses at 6, 10 and 14 weeks. It's normally associated with high fever few hours after immunization.

5. Measles vaccine - protects against measles and is administered at the upper right arm and is given at nine months.

6. Vitamin A - a child is given at six months and there on after every 6 months the dose is repeated until a child attains 5 years of age. Children below 1 year are given a dose of 100,000 I.U and after one year the dose is increased to 200,000 I.U.

All these immunizations are important to every child since their immune system is not strong as yet since their antibodies are not fully developed. Therefore every parent should ensure that their children have been immunized against all these diseases.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Placing a 15 Lead Monitor/Defibrillator into Service at your Fire Department or Ambulance Company

In a perfect world, no Fire Department or Ambulance Company should be without a 15 Lead Monitor/Defibrillator. This equipment saves lives and is integral to victim survival. It is in fact the established standard in emergency care for Advanced Life Support (ALS) teams.

The older 12-lead monitor units are no longer state of the art and they do not offer all of the life-saving technology that is available in the 15 lead unit that is available today. They do not have ability to monitor End-tidal CO2 (EtCO2) for both intubated and non-intubated patients, SpO2, Carbon Monoxide and Methemoglobinability and Glucose monitoring. Without these monitoring abilities it is possible for ambulance or ALS personnel to get dangerous false reads. For example, a paramedic may incorrectly conclude that a patient is suffering cardiac complication verses a diabetic one. Treatment for these conditions are very different and the wrong treatment can be disastrous.

The new 15 lead units have 15 available leads and include a metronome to guide CPR compressions and ventilations. Energy is available up to 360J. They have both semi-automated and manual defibrillation with capnography, external pacing, 15-lead electrocardiography and other monitoring functions.

Older units have display screens on the units that are often become difficult to read, especially in bright sunlight. Screen information display is vital to decision making on the part of the attendant. Mistakes must be avoided as the new units will possess currently available technology.

New models all are bluetooth enabled and can transmit critical data to the receiving hospital; the hospital would be ready and able to immediately take the true STEMI into the catherization lab and eliminate a possible 15-30 minute hospital delay for the victim.

A 15-lead cardiac monitors with EKG/AED with set-up assistance and warranty should cost about $28,000.

It is important to note that all data collected regarding a patient or victim is automatically transmitted to the appropriate hospital where we are transporting said patient. This feature is extremely important as it affects the level of care that the patient will subsequently receive. Paramedics will be automatically informing the host hospital every detail about the patient, yet they will not have to take valuable time and effort away from the patient in order to do so. This is extremely important, especially if a hospital is far in proximity.

The monitors will improve the efficiency of any operation by increasing the number of diagnostic tools that can provide better patient care.

Friday, February 17, 2012

The Electrocardiogram or the ECG machine is one of the most significant equipments used in hospitals to monitor the activity of the human heart. The electrocardiogram is basically the illustration of the electrical activity of the heart which is represented on a piece of paper. It is usually illustrated in the form of waves. The physiology of the human heart can be recorded with the help of the electrocardiogram. These results can be diagnosed and analyzed only by expert heart specialists. It is mainly used to diagnose a large number of diseases related to the heart.

The machine was first developed by Augustus Waller in the year 1870. In the year 1903 Willem Einthoven discovered the first ECG machine which became popular in the later days. It is still considered to be one of the most commendable discoveries in the history of mankind. As years passed by, the machine evolved in many ways with additional modifications and advanced features.

Functions of the ECG Machine

The main function of the ECG machine is to monitor the functions of the heart. These machines include a number of electrode leads which are attached to the limbs and chest of the person, while conducting an electrocardiogram test. The electrical activity of the heart is measured and recorded by the electrodes. Every heart beat is represented in the form of waves which is printed on a strip of paper.

Significant Uses of Electrocardiogram

The ECG machine is one of the least expensive and invasive method used by cardiologists all over the world. It is also one of the most effective equipments to conduct routine tests to evaluate the functions of the heart. Useful information pertaining to the electrical configurations and the rhythms of the heart can be obtained with the help of these machines.

These machines can be used to detect the thickening of the heart walls. Doctors use the electrocardiogram machines to evaluate current or old heart attacks in a person. The wave readings depicted on the paper illustrate the functions of the heart and the presence of any type of heart beat variations. The disturbances in the heart rhythm can be easily diagnosed with the help of these machines.

The electrocardiogram machine is considered to be the most efficient equipment that is both non-invasive and safe. It seldom requires any prior arrangements. It is also known to be one of the least expensive methods of diagnosing the functions of the heart.

ECG is often recommended to patients suffering from any type of heart disease. Patients suffering from shortness of breath, chest pain, weakness, discomfort while breathing, anxiety, dizziness and nausea are recommended an electrocardiogram by the doctors. It gives a clear illustration of the nature of the cardiac issues in a person. The waves illustrated on the electrocardiogram vary accordingly.

An ECG machine is indispensable in the field of medical science as it helps to diagnose different types of heart diseases quite easily and effectively. It is simply impossible to evaluate the electrical functions of the heart without the use of these magnificent devices

Friday, February 10, 2012

If you were having building work done on your house, you would not take the first quote that was given to you. Instead, you would ring around until you were sure of a fair price. Yet when it comes to getting a second opinion from a doctor, many people are often too shy to question a doctor's assessment, or to ask the necessary questions. Your body is the most important thing you will ever own, and before embarking on any treatment or procedure, asking for a second opinion can give you piece of mind and can help reassure you that you're making the right decision.

Even though doctors are trained medical professionals, you as the patient are sometimes best-placed to comment on your symptoms and how treatments are affecting you. Just because a doctor is in a position of authority does not mean that you can't challenge his opinion. Most doctors like to receive feedback from their patients, as it helps them to make a more informed assessment. If you think a treatment is affecting you in a particular way, then telling your doctor will help him amend your medication, and help to suggest a better course.

Asking for a second opinion will not offend your doctor, and it is a standard practice. Doctors regularly consult with one another, so consulting with a second doctor is a far more common than you may expect. Your doctor may also appreciate the fact that he is able to share the diagnostic process with another professional, particularly if your case is rare or difficult to define. Although asking for a second opinion may seem as if you are confronting your doctor, he or she is unlikely to view it this way and will probably be far more amenable to the suggestion than you may think.

Getting a second medical opinion often helps give you peace of mind, and ultimately that is worth overcoming any embarrassment you may feel. Asking for a second opinion can help give you more confidence in the diagnosis and/or your treatment plan- after all, doctors are not immune from making the occasional mistake. Having a positive attitude can help you deal with any on-going health problems you may have, and if getting a second medical opinion helps contribute to that positive outlook, then it's entirely worth doing.

Remember that asking for the opinion of another doctor does not imply that you're unhappy with your current doctor; it simply shows that you take personal responsibility for your health and want to explore all your options. By seeking the advice of multiple doctors, you can actually improve your relationship with your main GP, as you'll be better able to communicate at his or her level.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Each year Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans or PDP's make changes to their prograls. These changes must be approved by CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services). If the changes are not approved, or if the company determines that a certain plan they offer is not profitable, they will discontinue offering the plan for the next year. When this happens, the company offering the plan must send a notice to all members currently enrolled into the plan to notify them that they will not be able to continue with their current plan for the next year.

What Do You Do Now?

If you receive one of these notices be sure not to panic! I know change is difficult, but sometimes it actually can be a blessing in disguise! First of all, you will have plenty of time to make changes to your Medicare coverage. Secondly, you are always protected under the Medicare system. These protections include special allowances to enable you to change to other Medicare coverage. You are even granted an SEP which allows you to be able to sign up for a Medicare supplement without having to answer health questions! So, if your health has decreased, or if you just want the added protection of the Medicare supplement you are now able to join!

How Much Time Do I Have?

February marks the end of the Enrollment Period granted by CMS for those Medicare Beneficiaries who lost their coverage due to their plan leaving the area. CMS will send out a notice saying they are granting the Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for individuals affected by Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D plan (PDP) non-renewals (NRs) or service area reductions (SARs) to the end of February. In the past, you were only given until the end of January to make the necessary changes to your coverage. These notices are usually sent out prior to November giving you more than four months to find a suitable replacement for your current coverage.

Don't confuse this Special Enrollment Period (SEP) with the Annual Disenrollment Period (ADP)! The ADP runs from January 1st until February 14th, and only allows you to drop your current Medicare Advantage plan and pick up a PDP. This enrollment period is for all Medicare beneficiaries and is not an SEP. For more information on this election period visit my blog post about the Annual Disenrollment Period.